Glenstone Lodge

Weekend get a way

The only complaints weren’t major ones. The elevator was way too slow. My main complaint was with the restaurant in the lobby. The scrambled eggs were very slimy and they need to be better prepared to serve children. They gave my two year old a stemware glass for his milk. He grabbed it before I could get it from him and spilled it all over our other child and the table. They also need to get better water pressure in the shower.

An older but comfortable hotel

My wife and I stayed two nights at the Glenstone Lodge in October. The hotel was clean, the staff were kind and courteous, and the room was clean and comfortable. The hotel has one elevator to access upper floors and unfortunately is a little on the slow side, but the open view inside makes up for it. The hotel has two indoor pools-- one deep, one shallow-- connected by a waterfall, and an indoor hot tub. The restaurant has a breakfast buffet every morning until 11am, laden with typical southern fare (pork, pork, biscuits, more pork). Parking is adequate and illuminated and seemed safe, even at the time of year we visited. The hotel is a short walk off the main strip, and is quiet and peaceful. Our only complaint is that the water pressure on upper floors was terrible. If you shower in the morning, like most, be prepared for very low pressure, and even brief outages. That was our experience. We could shower and rinse, but it was touch-and-go. Also, the upper floor rooms facing away from the street have no balconies and are over the ventilation systems for the first floor, so expect a continuous whirring sound all night. Nothing you can’t sleep through. There is a newer and nicer Holiday Inn resort next door that I would recommend over this hotel, simply because it probably has better accommodations. But for the price, features and location, Glenstone is still a good deal.

Anyone who wishes to eat kosher will find Gatlinburg a challenge, especially for breakfast. My wife and I found that the Flapjacks chain of pancake houses in and around Gatlinburg regularly stock turkey sausage and turkey bacon as substitutes for pork. They also stock sugar free pancake syrup and can make whole or multi-grain pancakes, if you’re trying to eat a lower carbohydrate or low glycemic index diet, such as South Beach or Atkins.

Nothing special.

The hotel was clean, but very out-of-date when it came to style and decor. The pictures of the pool are what had originally sold me, because I planned on being there more than my room. However, it’s not as amazing in person. You either have to get in the “kiddy” pool which is 3ft all the way around. Or the adult pool which is only 7-9ft and smaller then the kiddy pool. Overall it was a decent hotel, but to pricy for what it’s worth. I won’t be staying there again.